Khaberni - Scientific warnings demand a ban on bacon in the UK after preservatives used are linked to tens of thousands of cancer cases.
A number of leading scientists have called for a ban on the sale of bacon in British stores, following new studies that link the chemicals used in its preservation to more than 50,000 cases of bowel cancer.
Scientific research alliances have clarified that the authorities' refusal to ban nitrites — a preservative that gives processed meats their pink color and extends their shelf life — has led to significant human and financial losses, as the British healthcare system (NHS) has spent about 4 billion dollars on treating preventable cancers over the past decade.
According to an analysis based on data from the British Cancer Research Foundation and the British Journal of Cancer, it is believed that 5400 cases of cancer annually in the UK are caused by consuming processed meats, with treatment costs averaging $80,000 per patient.
This warning comes after a full decade has passed since the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same category that includes tobacco and asbestos.
Despite this dangerous classification, Professor Chris Elliott, founder of the Global Food Safety Institute and former government adviser, said that the British government has taken no significant action to reduce exposure to these substances, adding: "A full decade has passed since the World Health Organization's report, and the government has done nothing significant to reduce exposure to nitrite, the substance that makes meats pink and long-lasting but produces nitrosamine compounds that cause cancer. Every year of delay means more cancers that could have been avoided and more suffering for families as well as increased pressure on the healthcare system."
The scientists who participated in the original World Health Organization report have demanded that the British Health Minister, Wes Streeting, completely ban the use of nitrites in processed meats.
Their report, issued in 2015, pointed out that consuming 50 grams of processed meats daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent. The experts stressed that the risk specifically arises from the reaction of nitrates with manufacturing processes in meats like bacon, ham, and sausages, which leads to the formation of carcinogenic compounds when consumed.
It is believed that 90 percent of the bacon sold in the British markets contains nitrite, a substance also linked to breast and prostate cancers.
Professor Robert Turesky from the University of Minnesota, one of the participants in the World Health Organization report, said that the evidence on the relationship between processed meats and cancer is stronger today than it was in 2015, adding: "Many cancers that could have been avoided occurred, and the current evidence calls for urgent action to protect public health."
The scientific coalition has asked the Health Minister to impose clear warnings on packages containing nitrite, in addition to developing a long-term plan for the gradual elimination of the use of this substance, while supporting small producers to switch to safer alternatives.
Although nitrite-free products are sold in British markets—often marketed as "natural" or "pure" bacon—they only represent 5 to 10 percent of the market, while the vast majority of products contain these preservatives.
The scientists also addressed a similar message to the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, calling for similar actions at the European Union level, and commended the initial steps taken by Brussels to reduce the allowed limits of nitrite.
Professor Elliott emphasized that manufacturing companies should adopt natural alternatives for drying and preserving that have proven effective and safe, stating: "Every year of delay means more preventable cancers and more suffering for families."
The British National Health Service guidelines recommend that processed meat consumption should not exceed 70 grams per day, approximately equivalent to two slices of bacon, while the World Cancer Research Foundation and the American Institute for Cancer Research urge to avoid it as much as possible.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK, with about 44,000 new cases annually, compared to 142,000 in the United States.
Symptoms of the disease include changes in bowel movement such as chronic diarrhea or constipation, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, presence of blood in the stool, abdominal pain and bloating, unexplained weight loss, and persistent fatigue.
The late activist Dame Deborah James contributed to raising awareness of this disease after being diagnosed with it, raising over 15 million dollars for cancer research before her death in 2022.
A recent global study covering 42 countries showed that colon cancer—which took the life of Deborah James—is the only cancer that has exclusively rising rates among those under fifty years old, with incidences among the age group 25 to 49 in England increasing by more than 50% since the early 1990s. Cancer Research UK points out that more than half of bowel cancer cases can be prevented by simple changes in lifestyle and diet.
